B.C. Lions’ Marcell Young (8) knocks down a spectator that ran onto the field of play during the first half of a CFL football game against the Montreal Alouettes in Vancouver, on Saturday June 16, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Lions need to focus on football after disruptive fan incident: coach

Wally Buono says his players need to focus on football after defensive back Marcell Young hit a fan

The coach of the B.C. Lions is calling an incident where one of his players levelled a partially clothed fan “unfortunate.”

Wally Buono says his players need to focus on football after defensive back Marcell Young hit a fan who ran on to the field Saturday wearing only an orange Lions jersey and boxer briefs.

The on-field antics came during a during a stoppage in play during the team’s home opener against Montreal, and two of Young’s teammates followed the hit with a chest bump and a high five as a security guard apprehended the fan on the ground.

“I just thought it was hilarious,” said Alouettes wide receiver B.J. Cunningham. “He had a (Lions quarterback) Jon Jennings jersey with his boxer briefs, I thought that was funny. I mean he hit him, that was unfortunate for the league or whatever.”

Edmonton Eskimos linebacker J.C. Sherritt said he’d be concerned about his own safety if he were in Young’s place.

“In this day and age, I’m not going to let anybody get in my personal space.” he said. “If he’s away from me and I don’t see it, great, but If it’s around me, I’m going to defend myself and that’s the bottom line. I’m not going to take chances with that.”